Filing spindle



July 4, 1939. c. GOLDSTEIN .7 2,164,514

FILING SPINDLE Filed NOV. 26. 1937 Patented July 4, 1939 LJNETED STATES PATENT or ies 2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in filing spindles, and more particularly to a filing device having the form of a vertically arranged spindle with a pointed end supported in upright position upon a base.

The object of the invention is to provide a filing spindle in which the hazard attending the use of an otherwise useful and convenient desk accessory has been eliminated by the addition of a guard or shield arranged to cover and protect the otherwise exposed end of the spindle, but without interfering with the filing operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide an arrangement or assembly which will greatly facilitate shipment and handling by resorting to a form of so-called knock-down construction whereby the articles can be sold singly or in quantity in compact form and by economical packaging.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the filing spindle;

Figure 2 is aview in side-elevation of the spindle with the base shown in section as taken on line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the spindle showing the detachable mounting of the guard standard and the spindle proper; and

Figures 4 and 5 are perspective views of the spindle proper and guard standard respectively, removed from the base.

Much of the present disclosure will be recognized as an old and well-known accessory, namely, a thin upright spindle I supported centrally of a base-plate 2 and having a pointed end capable of piercing sheets of paper and the like when pressed downwardly thereon.

The base-plate 2 is preferably stamped from sheet-metal and is rectangular in shape, with a downwardly turned flange or beveled portion 2 around its edge, giving the base a shallow cavity on its underside, as clearly shown in Figure 2. The spindle proper, I, extends downwardly through the central portion of the base plate 2, where is preferably formed a slightly elevated circular boss 2 The lower end of the spindle proper is threaded as at l and a collar or nut 3 threaded onto the lower end of the spindle l bears upon the top side of the base plate, while its lower end passes through a centrally located hole in the boss 2 and a wing-nut 4 screwed thereon holds the spindle firmly in place.

Now, extending vertically and parallel with the spindle I is a standard}? consisting of a strip at its top end as at l of flat metal having its lower end portion 5 inserted through a slot 6 cut through the baseplate 2 at a'point midway of one edge and along the line of the bend marking the marginal flange 2 This lower end portion 5 is bent at right angles to the main part of the standard and extends inwardly to the center of the base-plate where a hole 5 is provided at its end to register with the hole through which the threaded end of the spindle I projects. Thus in assembling the parts, the end of the spindle is inserted through the hole in the end of the arm 5 of the standard 5 before applying the wing-nut 4 which, when tightened, anchors the standard solidly to the base-plate.

At the upper end of the standard 5, which terminates substantially at the level of the point ed end of the spindle l, is a guard member 1 consisting of a flat strip of metal slightly widened at its outer end and having hinged connection near its opposite end with the upper end of the standard 5 as at 8. The hinge 8 may be of any simple form and therefore need not be described in detail, except to point out that it is a loose connection, so that the guard member swings freely about its horizontal axis and in the vertical plane of the spindle Moreover, the length of the guard member is slightly greater than the distance between the spindle l and the standard 5, so that when normally resting upon the pointed end of the spindle l and centrally of its wider portion, the outer end portion projects beyond and is turned up slightly At the opposite or rear end of the guard member 1 is a short integral tongue 9 forming a short extension of the main body of the guard member beyond the hinge 8. This tongue is bent downwardly and out of the plane of the guard member just enough to prevent it from reaching an upright or vertical position when it is being thrown or swung upwardly to a position from which it will not return to its normal guard position by gravity. Thus with the hinge quite loose and the tongue 9 acting as a stop, the guard will always fall back into position to cover the pointed end of the spindle.

To apply a sheet or slip of paper to the spindle for filing purposes, the procedure is quite the same as if the guard member were not present, except perhaps that an upward movement would precede the downward piercing movement, thereby throwing the guard member upwardly to expose the point of the spindle. In other words, the guard member is lifted with the same motion that presents the slip of paper to the spindle, so that its presence in no way interferes with the otherwise natural movement of filing.

The obvious function of the guard member is to cover at all times the pointed end of the spindle and prevent injuries that might occur as the result of the exposed pointed end of the spindle, with the advantage that the protection is realized without interfering with or complicating the filing operation.

Another advantage of the particular arrangement disclosed is the so-called knock-down construction which permits the spindle l, the base 2 and the standard 5 to be assembled as separate members, and with the use of a single fastening member in the form of the wing-nut 4. In this manner quantity shipments can be made in compact packages or the parts required for each device can be put up in an inexpensive envelope with directions for assembling, thus saving the cost of a more costly and bulky carton.

I claim as my invention:

1. A filing device comprising a vertical spindle, a base for said spindle, a standard mounted on said base and ofiset from said spindle, and a guard for the end of said spindle consisting of a flat plate having hinged connection with said standard and adapted normally to rest in substantially horizontal position on the end of said spindle with its free end portion projecting a short distance beyond, said plate having a portion projecting from its point of hinged connection and adapted to contact said standard for limiting its upward swinging movement.

2. A filing device comprising a vertical spindle upon which papers and the like are to be impaled, a base supporting said spindle, a standard mounted on said base and offset from said spindle, and a guard member for said spindle consisting of a metal plate loosely hinged at the upper end of said standard with its free end portion bearing upon the tip of said spindle, said plate having an end portion projecting forwardly beyond its point of contact with said spindle and a portion projecting beyond its hinged connection with said standard and adapted to provide a stop coacting with the standard to limit the upward swinging movement of said plate within a predetermined range CHARLES GOLDSTEIN. 

